A common type of vehicle concealed headlamp actuator may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,789 to Craig, assigned to the assignee of the subject invention. A headlamp housing with a cover fixed to the top is pivoted at its back end to the vehicle body and at its front to the upper end of a single link. The lower end of the link is pivoted to a drive crank fixed to a motor drive shaft. In the retracted position, the headlamp housing cover closes an opening in the vehicle body hood, concealing the headlamp. When the motor is activated, the motor drive shaft rotates the drive crank to drive the link up and rotate the headlamp housing about its pivot to the vehicle body, raising the cover and exposing the headlamp. As disclosed in Craig, the final raised position of the cover is tilted significantly back from the horizontal. In some designs, it may desired to have a raised cover position that is more flat or horizontal. This could present a problem with the conventional type of actuator just described, because there is generally a limited volume below the hood in which the actuator may work.
Referring to FIG. 6, an example of the prior art actuator just described is indicated generally at 10. Actuator 10 is incorporated in a vehicle that has a vehicle body with a front panel 12, generally a hood, in which there is a headlamp opening 14. The vehicle body also includes an upper tie bar, radiator support or other body member 16 that represents an obstruction that limits the volume available beneath hood 12 within which an actuator can be mounted. A headlamp housing 18 has a cover 20 on top that is sized to match opening 14. Actuator 10 includes a motor 22 fixed by bracket 24 to the vehicle body. A motor drive shaft 26 has a short drive crank 28 secured thereto. A link 30 is pivoted at its lower end to drive crank 28 and at its upper end to the front of headlamp housing 18. The rear of headlamp housing 18 is pivoted to the vehicle body at a single, fixed pivot 32, the location of which will be further described below. As motor 22 turns drive shaft 26 and drives crank 28 up or down, the link 30 rotates the headlamp housing 18 up and down between retracted and raised positions. Positive stops, not separately illustrated, act to stop the actuator 10 at the desired positions. The preferred retracted position closes opening 14, as shown in dotted lines, with cover 20 conforming to the general contour of hood 12. The typical raised orientation for cover 20, as in the patent noted above, is tilted back significant, forming a V pattern with hood 12, also shown in dotted lines. However, it may be desired for styling, aerodynamic and other reasons to provide a raised cover position that is more nearly horizontal. With an actuator like actuator 10, with its fixed pivot 32, this can only be done by moving pivot 32 back beyond body member 16, out of the limited volume available. Generally, this will be totally impractical, and at best, not a preferred solution.